


The Ritual Killings

by iwritewhenimhappy



Series: Santa Monica, Baby [4]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Detectives, Case Fic, Character Death, F/F, F/M, Gen, Implied/Referenced Abuse, M/M, Major Character Injury, Mental Health Issues, Multi, Sexual Content, Slow Build, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-21
Updated: 2019-08-21
Packaged: 2020-09-23 03:54:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20333623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iwritewhenimhappy/pseuds/iwritewhenimhappy
Summary: Saddled with a temporary partner as his current one lays in a hospital bed, Buck doesn't think it could get any worse, and then it does.





	1. One.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on tumblr.

_“Where am I?” Eddie asks looking around at the bright room. “I don’t understand. I- I was injured.”_

_“You still are.” Anna says carefully as it tilts its head in a robotic sort of motion, watching Eddie carefully._

_“Why am I here?”_

_ Anna smiles at this, a deadly inhuman smile. “Because, I have an offer to make you.”_

_ Eddie blinks, curious and surprised. “What kind of an offer?”_

-<>-

“Hi, I’m looking for Eddie Diaz. I was told he was moved to a private room on this floor.” Buck says to the nurse sitting at the round table as soon as he gets out of the elevator a few meters away.

“And you are?” She asks carefully, her brown eyes looking into Buck’s, trying to suss out who he is and what he wants.

“I’m Buck, I’m his partner.”

The woman’s eyebrows scrunch up. “Um, sir, I’m pretty sure his partner is already in there. His wife to be more exact.”

“You mean, Shannon?” The nurse nods. “She’s- they’re separated. Anyway I mean work partner. I’m a Detective at the LAPD.”

Buck holds out his badge to her and she takes a long deep long before nodding. “Of course. He’s in room 302. Down the hall, on the left.”

“Thank you.”

Buck steps away from the front desk of the third floor and heads down the hallway. There are nurses and a few visitors walking down the halls or standing outside of the doors, many are very saddened which shouldn’t be very surprising since this is a long-term recovery ward. Most of the patients here will never get out of the hospital, only a few will, and even those who do will never be the same. Buck’s only been here once, back when Eddie wasn’t his partner and he was going it alone, he had to interview a witness. The poor girl had lost an arm and seeing her, God, it was awful. Buck couldn’t sleep for a week after that, and now he was back here again, voluntarily no less, but he needs to see him. He has to. Even if Eddie will never see him.

When he gets to 302, he takes a deep breath and knocks. He knows who will be on the other side, but when the door opens and he is faced with the brown eyes of Eddie’s wife, of the mother of his son, he loses his voice. It’s snuffed out, taken away, and stepped on. Shannon’s eyes are red and puffy, and her arms are crossed over herself like she’s trying to hold herself together. It’s eerie and Buck feels his heart fall into his stomach. She keeps the door only half open, not enough room to look past and him, but enough for him to know that Christopher is here, and someone else, someone new.

“Detective Buckley.” Shannon says in surprise. “I wasn’t expecting you, we weren’t expecting you.”

“I…” Buck tries to say, but the words are gone as soon as they come.

She nods like she knows what he was going to say though and replies with, “Why don’t you come in? I think Chris needs a break anyway, we can go down and get some food, give you a minute.”

She’s not angry or upset with him which shocks Buck, maybe even more than her kindness to let him have a moment alone with his partner. She opens the door wider and nods, telling him silently that it’s okay for him to come in.

“Hey, buddy.” Buck says to Christopher who looks up from where his hand is clasped in his father’s unresponsive one. Buck purposely does not look at Eddie, at his face, he just can’t. He knows that if he does he’ll suffer a wave of guilt and pain that will pull him under, and he has to be strong, especially in front of them.

“Who’s this?” A deep voice asks, making Buck look over to the large man sitting in a chair against the wall.

“This is Detective Buckley, Neil.” Shannon tells him, then looking to Buck, “Detective Buckley, this is my boyfriend Neil.”

“Just call me Buck.” Buck says to them both.

“You’re my daddy’s partner?” Christopher asks unexpectedly, making Buck look over, surprised as the kid gets up. His crutches that lean against his chair are taken into his hands. He puts them under his arms and gets up, walking over to Buck which both relieves Buck and worries him. Relieved because he doesn’t have to worry about accidently seeing Eddie while looking at Christopher, and worried for what this kid is going to do.

“I am.” Buck says. “I know we haven’t met before but-”

“You were with him and he was hurt.”

Buck nods as feels tears rise from within him, but he’s good at pushing them back and they’re gone before they even show.

With unexpected fury, Christopher yells at him, “I wish you were in that bed! Dead in the brain!”

“Christopher!” Shannon yells in shock as Buck feels like he’s been shot. He actually takes a physical step back. Shannon looks from her son to Buck. “He didn’t mean it, Det- Buck, he didn’t.”

“Of course he did.” Neil says from where he sits, causing Shannon to glare at him.

“I should go.” Buck says quickly as Shannon tries to protest. Christopher sits back down in his chair, like nothing is happening and like nothing did happen. Buck doesn’t linger in this moment longer, quickly sliding past Shannon and getting the hell out of their as his chest heaves in great breaths of air. As the panic takes hold.

_Me too._

-<>-

“You wanted to see me?” Buck asks as he walks into Bobby’s office. It’s been a month since Eddie was wounded, and it’s been three weeks since he saw his family at the hospital. He hasn’t been back since.

“Yes, Buck, sit down.” Bobby says, pointing to the seat in front of his desk.

“Look, Cap, if you’re going to fire me, I’d rather stand.”

“I’m not firing you, Buck, you’ve been cleared.”

“What?” Buck asks, genuinely surprised.

“Yes, you have, now there’s two things that can happen next- okay three. One, you take a vacation-”

“No way.” Buck says quickly, interrupting him. “I need to work, Bobby, I need this job.”

“Let me finish.” Bobby tells him sternly. “One you can take a vacation to wrap your head around things, two you can get a new partner, or three you can work with Kinard.”

“Tommy?”

“Yes. I’ve already talked with him and he is onboard with working with you. It’s either that or you both have to train new people. I don’t think anyone in this unit is ready for that though.”

“He’s not dead, Bobby.” Buck says suddenly, with more emotion that he thought he was able to express about another human being aside from Abby and his sister.

“I know, Buck.” Bobby says carefully, concern lighting his eyes. “I know, but he can’t work.”

He’s brain dead, goes unsaid out loud, but the words are screaming between them.

Eventually Buck nods and says, “Okay, I’ll work with Kinard.”

“Good. There’s a new case if you’re ready.”

“I am.”

-<>-

“My car or yours?” Kinard asks as they walk toward the parkade. Until then neither one of them had spoken.

“Yours.” Buck says quickly. Too many memories in his, and besides he’s too tired to drive without killing someone.

“Good.”

They walk to Kinard’s car and get in. Its grey, a muted colour which matches his personality, Buck thinks. He’s always been the kind of guy to blend in. A good cop, straight nose, and a spotless record. The kind to get married young and have two point five kids. The kind of guy who lives in the suburbs and retires at sixty five. The kind of guy who does no wrong and only tries to do right, good, and yet he wouldn’t go the extra mile, or so Buck thinks.

“You killed my partner.” Kinard says seemingly out of nowhere, and suddenly the air is tense and crackling with energy. Kinard hasn’t put the key in the ejection and Buck is vaguely worried that he’s going to start beating on him or something. No one would see or bear witness here. There’s security cameras sure, but only on the entrances and exits. Budget didn’t allow for extras.

“I didn’t have a choice.” Buck repeats the lie like it’s nothing less than the truth, like he believes it with his whole heart.

“I know. But-” He pauses and takes a deep breath. His eyes shut briefly before opening and staring straight at Buck, like he’s looking directly into his soul. “He wasn’t a bad guy. He wasn’t a bad cop. You believe me, right?”

His last words are desperate, like a man in the desert who has gone without water for days and is asking for one drop to save himself. Just one drop. Buck wants to agree but then he thinks of Abby and Eddie, and he wants to scream. He wants to cry out and yell at Tommy until he is blue in the face. How dare he say things to him? How dare he?

“Let’s just get through this case.” Buck says through gritted teeth, trying to stay as neutral as he can.

Kinard looks disappointed but he doesn’t argue, instead he puts the key in and asks, “So what’s the case?”

-<>-

_“Tommy.” Deluca whispers, his hand in his partner’s hair. They’re sitting on his couch in his apartment, and they’ve been drinking. It was a tough case and it hit Tommy harder than ever, so Deluca did the only responsible and kind thing he could, he brought him home with him. He’s never been fond of most people, but something about this new partner has gotten under his skin. Tommy has gotten under his skin._

_“What- What are you doing?” Tommy asks, his voice low, his lips inches from Deluca’s. They just kissed. His partner just kissed him._

_“I want you. Let me have you.”_

_ Tommy swallows nervously, his eyes looking into Deluca’s, unsure but wanting. “Deluca-”_

_ Deluca’s hand comes up and places a finger on Tommy’s lips. “Shh. Don’t call me that. Not here, not now.”_

_“What should I called you then?”_

_“Call me Sal, it’s my name after all.”_

_ Tommy nods in agreement._

_“Please, Tommy, I want you. I can help you to forget.”_

_“I’m not- I’m not gay!” Tommy says it quietly then loudly as panic overtakes him._

_“Neither am I.” Is Sal’s answer. “No one has to know.”_

_ Tommy’s eyes, wider than ever look into Deluca’s, wondering and debating, before finally, with as much courage as he and the whiskey he drank can give him, he leans up and brings their lips together in a heated kiss. Deluca grips his hair and Tommy keens at the feeling._

_“Please.” Tommy whispers. “Make me forget.”_

_ Deluca smirks._

-<>-

“Double homicide.” Buck tells Kinard as he drives down a busy intersection, making their way to the crime scene. “A husband and wife.”

“What are their names?” Kinard asks.

“Melissa and Ken Anderson.”

“What do we know?”

“Not much.” Buck admits. “Expect…”

“Except what?” Kinard asks.

“Expect that there was a symbol at the scene, drawn in the victim’s blood.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, no wonder no one else wanted this case.” Buck says with a sigh. “Half the police force is Catholic, no one wants to mess with this stuff.”

“Two people are dead.” Kinard says a little disgusted. “You would think they would care about that.”

“You would think.” Buck agrees. “But then again, we human beings are pretty damn selfish.”

Kinard couldn’t agree more, after all, the only reason he agreed to work with Buck was to get him alone and to make him pay for what he did to Sal. No way was he just going to let get off the hook with killing his partner. Sal didn’t deserve to die. But maybe Buck did. Everything Buck said, who knows if it’s even true? He could have been the mole? Maybe he’s just covering his tracks? Tommy doesn’t know, but what he does know is Sal, and Sal would never have done what Buck claims. Never.

Tommy Kinard looks over to Buck and watches him for a moment. He’ll find out the truth.

One way or the other.


	2. Two.

_“Shouldn’t you be going?” Tommy asks, his head leaning away from Deluca’s chest. Deluca is quick to put his hand on Tommy’s head and bring it gently but firmly back. Tommy doesn’t argue or try to move away again but does ask confused, “What are you doing?”_

_“Nothing.” Deluca tells him but it’s an obvious lie. He then adds a little more truthful, “You’re warm.”_

_ Tommy smiles into his bare skin, enjoying the intimacy even though it means nothing to Sal. “Okay, but I thought you said you have to be somewhere.”_

_ Deluca frowns and pulls Tommy closer. “Not yet.”_

-<>-

“Any ideas on cause of death?” Buck asks the ME, a different one this time, a guy named Alec.

“It looks like blunt force trauma for the woman, and obvious stabbing on the man, although I can’t be certain until the autopsy.” Alec tells him and Kinard as he kneels down by the bodies. They’re left on the ground, side by side with hands on top of each other. The symbol is drawn underneath which means the bodies were put here after the symbol was drawn.

“Any ideas on the symbol?” Kinard says, looking to Buck.

“No clue, we can’t even see the full thing until the bodies are moved. Are your guys ready?”

Buck asks this looking to Alec who nods. “Yep, just waiting for the Detectives- you both to sign off on it.”

“Right. Well, consider yourselves signed off?” Buck half says, half questions.

“Excuse me if I don’t want to get yelled at again.”

“I’ve never worked with you before.” Buck says annoyed and confused.

“Not you, Bucko, him.”

Both their eyes turn to Kinard who looks at them almost uninterested. “It was Deluca.” He says in way of explanation.

“Yeah, that was his name. Real douche.” The ME comments. “I’m not surprised he was corrupt.”

Buck looks to Kinard whose face loses its colour. His hands curl into fists and he quickly walks out of the rundown house. Buck should go after him but he really doesn’t want to. He knew this case was going to be tough but he thought it would be him who would struggle with keeping his anger and emotions in general in check, but apparently not.

-<>-

_“I have to go now.” Deluca says as he carefully extracts himself from Tommy’s embrace. Tommy sits up and watches as he dresses himself from the various clothes all over the floor._

_“Where are you going anyway?” Tommy can’t help but ask._

_“Come on, Kinard, this isn’t personal, you know that.”_

_ Tommy feels a pang in his heart at Deluca’s harsh words, but he doesn’t say anything more. He simply sits there, sheets pooled around his naked body and watches as Deluca rushes to get out and away from him to something more important, more personal than he can tell him about. His heart hurts and he knows that Deluca can’t feel the same, but he can make other parts of him hurt to. In a bold move he reaches out and grabs Deluca’s dick through his jeans. _

_ Deluca smirks. “Can’t get enough, huh?”_

_“Maybe not.” Tommy says with a smirk that’s not really a smirk._

_“Sorry, pet, but I have to go. Another time, yeah? How about next week. We can have the weekend and I’ll make sure that your legs are shaking so hard, you won’t have the energy to do anything else.”_

_ Tommy feels disappoint, red hot and scorching but he smiles despite it and says, “You’re on.”_

_ Deluca smirks and heads out the door, calling over his shoulder, “Lock up before you leave! Feel free to use the shower!”_

-<>-

“Hey, are you okay?” Buck asks carefully as he walks up to Kinard who leans against his car, the back of his head the only thing visible to Buck at the moment.

“I’m fine.” Kinard says almost breathlessly.

Buck almost sighs, his hand reaching out and touching Kinard’s shoulder. As soon as the touch registers with Kinard, he turns around abruptly, his eyes red and angry where tears were only moments ago. “Don’t fucking touch me.”

Buck takes a step back, hands in the air. “Sorry. I’m just- If you’re not good, I can go talk to the family alone.”

“I’m fine. I’m not the one who killed someone in this new partnership.”

Buck’s eyes close as he nods his head. “Okay, okay, look we can go back to the Captain and dissolve this. We don’t have to work together. I can handle this case alone.”

“This is my case, Buckley, and actually I do want to work with you.” Kinard says lowly and a bit calmer.

“Tommy-”

“I’m fine. Just as fine as you are. So can we focus on the case?”

“Yeah, fine- sure.”

Kinard nods. “Good. Let’s go see the family.”

-<>-

_“Hey, Nina, it’s Sal.” Deluca says with a sad smile as he walks into his sister’s room. She lays motionless on her bed, her eyes looking up and unseeing. Each time he comes here he feels that pang of horror and guilt eat at him even more. “Sorry it’s been awhile since I’ve been here, work has been busy.”_

_ She doesn’t say anything, she doesn’t say anything ever anymore. Deluca nods though like she has and continues with, “There was this case with-”_

_ He doesn’t get to finish as a young woman in scrubs knocks on the open door. Deluca turns and finds Nurse Hichens smiling at him._

_“Sal, I’m glad you’re here.” She says with happiness, but her eyes show guilt. “Can I have a word with you outside?”_

_ Deluca nods, giving his sister one last look he follows her into the hallway. “What is it?”_

_“Well, you know there has been cutbacks.”_

_“Yes. What about it?” Deluca’s tone is dangerously low but Hichens has a job to do._

_“There’s no easy way to say this but they’ve cut public funding. I’m sorry, but the price has bumped up to four grand a month. I know this is double what it was before but you don’t start paying we’re going to have to move your sister to a public housing care facility.”_

_“No, no fucking way. Those places will kill her.”_

_ The nurse nods. “Is there any way that you can get the money? Family that could help?”_

_“I’m all she has.” Deluca says, his voice suddenly losing its toughness, turning frighteningly sad._

_“I’m sorry, Sal, really I am.”_

-<>-

“I know that this is very difficult, but if there is anything that you can tell us that could help…” Kinard says sympathetically. Buck who sits beside him on the Anderson’s couch looks up at him curiously. It’s like whatever he was going through earlier and in the car has disappeared.

“There’s not much to say.” Mrs. Anderson explains, a tissue, no scratch that a handkerchief dabbing at her eyes. Buck watches this fascinated. He was surprised and curious when they pulled up the mansion like house but now he’s downright engrossed into the situation of this family. Melissa and Ken Anderson lived in a one bedroom shack on the wrong side of the tracks as the department he used to belong to liked to say, but his parents? They’re three kinds of wealthy.

“We weren’t very close with our son and his… Wife.” Mr. Anderson explains, his tone turning disgusted at the word ‘wife.’

“Was it because she was black?” Kinard asks without any tact, making Buck look up sharply at him.

“We are not racists.” Mrs. Anderson says with a glare. “We just wanted a good life for him and that girl was nothing but trouble. She had five DUI’s. Five.”

“We didn’t mean to suggest that.” Buck says with a nod. “We understand how difficult this is, but we have to ask the hard questions to figure out what happened.”

“Of course.” Mr. Anderson says with a nod of his own. “We’ll try our best to answer any questions you have, but like my wife said we haven’t seen our son in five years.”

-<>-

“Thanks for doing this, Maddie.” Buck tells her sincerely as they stand outside the hospital. It’s the staff’s smoking circle, Maddie called it, but it’s perfect for hiding out until the shift change where Buck will be able to sneak in without anyone noticing. It’s night, the sun has disappeared and visiting hours are over, everyone Buck is trying to avoid is gone.

“What are siblings for?” Maddie says with a smile and a teasing smirk.

Buck laughs. “Yeah, well, thanks I appreciate it.”

“Hey, you put up with me for a month after I got to LA, it’s the least I can do, but in all honestly, why are you sneaking in, Evan? He’s your partner. I’m sure his family would understand.”

“Maddie…”

“Evan, I’m worried about you. Please just talk to me.” Maddie says with her eyebrows furrowed in concern.

Buck sighs, but Maddie’s stare doesn’t relent. “His son, Christopher, he hates me.”

“What? Why? I’m sure that’s not-”

“He said he wished I was laying in that bed. That I was brain dead instead of his dad.” Buck’s words all come out in a rush as tears start to flow. He quickly wipes them away in grief and anger as Maddie’s hand reaches out finding one of his. She squeezes.

“He’s only eleven, Evan, he doesn’t understand.”

“He’s a smart kid, he understands perfectly, Mads, you know what? I agree with him.”

“Don’t say that.” Maddie says, hurt by Buck’s words.

“I wish- I just… I don’t know what to do.”

“Maybe his mom- Shannon, right? Maybe she can talk to him and help him understand.”

“She has a lot on her plate right now. It wouldn’t feel right asking her for something like that, besides I should talk to Chris myself.”

Maddie nods understandingly. “You’re worried about her, aren’t you?”

“Shannon?” Buck questions.

“Yeah.”

“Yeah, I am. I mean- she- Eddie’s family has the right and it’s there decision as to whether to- to-”

“To stop external support.” Maddie supplies in a clinical but concerned way.

“Right, but they’re Catholic and old fashioned, and technically Shannon is still married to him. They believe that it’s her decision, so they’re leaving it with her, but she doesn’t know what to do. She sees it as killing him and this is her son’s father, you know?”

“Maybe I could talk to her for you, about Eddie’s condition. It’s not killing, although many people do see it that way, that’s not what it is.”

Buck doesn’t answer, suddenly scared and worried beyond belief. What if they do turn off the machines? What if he really does-

“Hey.” The door opens another nurse, a friend of Maddie’s peeks out. “You ready?”

-<>-

Buck sits in the vacant chair next to the body that moves, breathes with the machine hooked up to him. It’s not Eddie, not really, and yet it’s all that is left of him. Buck doesn’t want to look at him, not when he’s not really him. It hurts so much just sitting here but he feels like he has to this so he does. He moves his eyes up and meets Eddie’s closed ones. There’s a tube running from his lips up to a large machine that breathes for him. The sound, the whooshing and beeping is quiet and yet so very loud all in one. Eddie’s face is full of scruff and it makes him look different, but not bad different, good different.

“I’m sorry it took so long for me to get here.” Buck starts by saying and it surprises him how easy the words come. He no longer looks at Eddie’s motionless face, instead looking down at his big hands. Hands that have gotten him coffee, handed over files, and on occasion clasped him on the shoulder in comfort. Hands that Buck itches to feel in his own and he’s not really sure why. He’s always done what feels good, but right now he doesn’t, he hesitates.

“I’m sorry.” Buck whispers, his eyes still on one of Eddie’s hands, the left one to be exact which is a little ironic because he is left handed. Buck wants to say more but tears have swelled and a lump has formed in his throat. He can’t help himself, he reaches out and grasps Eddie’s hand in his. He folds Eddie’s over his own and holds on tightly as big, large sobs overtakes him. The room is dark and silent as his own grief reverberates back to him.

-<>-

“Since when did you start smoking?” Maddie asks in concern as Buck’s shaking hand tries desperately to hold the cigarette up to his lips. He grimaces at the taste as he finally gets a puff but doesn’t snub it out, instead taking a deeper one. His shaking starts to subside slightly. They’re back out at the nurses’ smoking corner and Maddie is looking at him with so much familiar love that it makes Buck’s heart squeeze in guilt.

“It helps.” Buck tells her.

Helps what exactly he doesn’t really say and Maddie doesn’t get the chance to ask because before she can Buck’s phone rings. He picks it up quickly and answers with, “Hello?”

He pauses, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. “Shannon? What’s going-”

Maddie looks at him, eyebrows raised.

“Calm down, it’s okay, uh- my apartment. It’s on thirty fifth street, 1798 South. Apartment 5B. I’ll be there as soon as I can. Okay. Okay.”

Buck hangs up, his eyes panicked.

“What’s going on?” Maddie asks in concern.

“It’s Shannon.”

“I got that, is she okay?”

“No.” Buck says, his eyes wide as he snubs out the cigarette. “She’s not. You’re shifts over right?”

“Yeah, why?” Maddie asks.

“Because it sounds like she needs medical help.”


	3. Three.

“So are you going to tell me what happened?” Buck questions a little more sternly than necessary, making Maddie look over at him with a glare. “I mean, what happened, Shannon? Please tell me, I can help.”

Shannon looks down, her tear and blood streaked cheek becoming glaringly obvious in Buck’s apartment kitchen’s florescent lighting. It looks like she wants to talk, to explain why there’s a cut under her eye and a bruise as black as night blooming on said eye but then her eyes land on Christopher who sits nearby, obviously concerned and a little confused, and she chokes up.

“Okay.” Buck says with a nod. “Will you at least let Maddie clean you up? She’s a nurse, she knows what she’s doing?”

Maddie gives her a reassuring nod, the first aid kit in her hands, ready to come over and help whenever she allows it, but Shannon’s lips are in a line, determined and stubborn as her eyes move to her son once again.

“Christopher?” Buck says look at the kid who looks up at him, his eyes so much like Eddie’s that Buck takes a second longer to continue with what he was going to say. “How about we go to the living room and find some cartoons to watch? How does that sound?”

He looks to his mom who nods and tries to smile. “Go, on Christopher, I’ll be fine with- with Maddie.”

Christopher looks unsure, but eventually gets up with his crutches and follows Buck out of the kitchen and into the living room. As soon as they’re gone, Maddie looks to Shannon whose breath hitches. She can’t hold it in any longer and lets out a quiet sob. Maddie is quick to pull up a chair, slowly so that she can see every move she makes, and comes closer. She holds her hand on the table, silently pleading for Shannon to take the comfort she’s offering, and eventually Shannon does. Her hand finds Maddie’s and Maddie squeezes gently, grounding her.

“I’m- I’m sorry.” Shannon says through sniffles.

Maddie shakes her head, her next words firm, “You have nothing to apologize for.”

Shannon wishes she could believe her.

-<>-

“So what do you like to watch?” Buck asks Christopher with an attempt at a reassuring smile.

Christopher looks up at Buck and says almost abruptly, “Is my mom going to die too?”

Buck leans back, surprised. “Your dad is not dead.” He says it quickly and then cringes almost immediately at his own words. Who is he to say such a thing? Most likely Eddie will never wake up, in fact the doctor’s say there’s a 99.9% chance that he’ll never regain conscious. He’s brain dead which to them means dead all the same and yet he’s still here, at least Buck keeps telling himself that but maybe he shouldn’t. Maybe he should…

“I’m sorry.” Buck tells Christopher who looks on the verge of tears now. “Your mom is going to be fine. She’s a little hurt but nothing that can’t be healed, okay?”

Christopher nods.

“And I’m going to make sure whoever did this will never hurt her again.”

“Like you did for daddy?” Christopher asks, eyebrows furrowed.

“Yeah, like I did for your daddy.” Buck’s words come out a little sluggish as that familiar lump in his throat appears once again. “No matter what happens with your dad I’ll always be here for you and your mom, okay?”

Christopher nods. “Okay.”

“Okay, so how about we find something to watch? Are you hungry? I could order pizza?”

Christopher smiles widely. “Pizza!”

-<>-

“How is she?” Buck asks as Maddie washes her hands in his kitchen sink. Shannon’s eye has been patched up and she now sits in the living room holding her son close and watching Flintstone reruns on a cartoon channel Buck was never sure about having but now is glad beyond belief that he got it. He hasn’t called for pizza yet but he told Christopher he would and he will, he just needs a minute.

“She’s shaken up. Confused and terrified.” Maddie explains, her eyes turn to Buck and that’s when he sees that she’s been crying.

“Maddie…”

“I’m fine. I just- God, Buck that’s me- she’s me.”

“Wait, are you saying that…? Neil, her boyfriend? She told you it was him?” Buck asks, suddenly getting very angry.

“No, but- but I know that look. I know that fear.” Maddie explains, her breath hitching, but she pushes down all of those feelings as Buck’s hand lands on her shoulder. Without any hesitation she falls into his chest and Buck holds her close.

“It’s okay, Maddie, it’s okay.” Buck tells her soothingly. “I’ll make this right. I will.”

-<>-

“Thanks for coming, Chimney.” Buck tells the man as he walks into his apartment that is rapidly getting fuller.

“Of course, Buckaroo, what’s up? You sounded off- not good.” Chimney says as he walks in.

“It’s complicated, but I need to go out and I can’t leave them alone.”

“Who?”

“Hey, what are you doing here?” Maddie asks surprised and happy as she walks into the kitchen to see her boyfriend of a few months standing there.

“Buck called me.” Chimney explains, making Maddie looking to Buck suspicious.

“I need to go out.” Buck explains. “And I’m not leaving you all alone.”

Maddie’s eyes narrow even more. “Buck, please tell me you’re not going out there to do something stupid.”

Buck smiles and says, “When have I ever done anything stupid?”

-<>-

“Got into a bar brawl again?” Kinard asks as they step out of his car at Melissa’s sister’s house. Buck looks up at his raised eyebrows and then down to where he’s looking at his reddened and cracked knuckles.

“That was one time, Kinard, and if I recall you were there too.” Buck says with a smirk.

Kinard actually rolls his eyes at that and smiles. “I sat there as Deluca took the punches.”

At his name, both men lose that something that was finally turning to a friendlier relationship and groove between them. Kinard’s stern face is back and Buck’s no sense attitude too. They walk to the door in silence and the woman who answers doesn’t seem to notice any tension between them, in fact she’s smiling widely, even though her sister has just died.

“Alexa Ridden?” Buck asks.

“Yes?”

“I’m Detective Buckley and this is Detective Kinard. We’re here about your sister.”

“Right, right, I was told you were coming.” She says with a smile. “Please come in.”

Before Buck can follow her inside, his phone rings. He takes it out of his pocket and looks at the caller ID. Kinard has turned to see what’s going on as Alexa stands there, curiously looking at them both.

“Sorry, I have to take this, but Detective Kinard will be right in with you.” Buck explains to her, making Kinard glare at him, but he doesn’t stop Buck as he walks over to the car and hits the answer button. Kinard goes in with Mellissa’s sister as Buck says, “Hello?”

_“Hey, Bucko, it’s Alec.” _ The ME says way too cheerful for an ME.

“Hey, what’s up? Are the autopsies done?”

_“Yep and I’m faxing them over but…”_

“But what?” Buck asks a little impatient.

_“It’s the cause of death, I thought yous should know right away.”_

“Know what? It was blunt force trauma, right? And- and the guy was stabbed?”

_“Uh, actually no. They died of drowning.”_ Alec explains.

“Drowning?” Buck asks confused. “What- how?”

_“Your guess is as good as mine. I can tell you that it was sewer water though. I know that for sure. Anyway, read the report and if you have any questions you have my number.”_

“Right, thanks.”

Buck hangs up and his shakes his head.

“Drowning.” He says almost to himself. “Why do I always have to get the complicated cases?”


	4. Four.

**Maddie: ** _Eddie’s the same._

**Buck: ** _ok. no change?_

**Maddie:** _ None, sorry Evan. _

**Buck:** _dont be_

Buck switches his phone to sleep mode and gets out of the car, following Kinard into the ME’s office. They got the autopsy report, but considering the unusual circumstances, both detectives agreed on going over it with the ME, Alec. They made an appointment for today and afterward they have one with a professor of mythology and folklore at the LA Institute University to try and get some information on the symbol left underneath the bodies. It’s still a mystery to them, and after having talked with family and friends they haven’t gotten any closer to any fresh leads.

All they know is that Melissa and Ken Anderson were at a friend’s house down the street drinking and watching the game on cable. After that they walked home and then they weren’t seen for three days before their friends, having a spare key came to check up on them. The friends, Lenny and Barbara Thommas found them their dead. They called 9-1-1 right away. They don’t know anything and according to them nothing was out of the ordinary with the Anderson’s before their deaths. Even their five year old son didn’t know anything. It all has led to nothing. Hopefully these two appointments won’t be the same.

“You ready?” Kinard asks looking behind him to Buck who shuts the door, his phone now gone into his pocket.

“Yeah, let’s do this.”

They make their way into the building and pass the security guard with minimal resistance, he‘s good at faces and he remembers Buck and Kinard both, although it’s Kinard who exchanges a few words with him, always the friendly guy that he is which makes Buck roll his eyes in annoyance, not that he doesn’t take the time to chat with others when he can, but he’s on a tight schedule, they both are, and besides he wants to get home early and check on Shannon and Christopher. Ever since they came over that night a week ago, they’ve been staying with him until Neil is arraigned and out of their lives for good.

“Hey, Alec.” Buck says as they walk into the guy’s office.

“Detectives.” He says in greeting. “Please, sit, and let me know what I can help you with.”

“We would like clarification on the cause of death.” Kinard tells him as Buck nods, agreeing with him.

Alec looks between them both curious but not very surprised. “Well, even though it is strange, it’s conclusive as can be. Both of them died by drowning.”

“We got that, but it’s weird.” Buck says with a shrug. “I mean- look could you just walk us through the injuries, then to their final moments and so on. Maybe it can help us to go through it, and anything you didn’t put in your report you could maybe tell us.”

“Detective Buckley, we have our protocols just like you, if there’s something found on the body we write it down.”

“I know, and I’m not saying you didn’t, I’m just saying if there’s any theories you had we want to hear them.”

Alec looks from Buck to Kinard who nods in agreement with his reluctant partner.

“Okay, look, Ken and Melissa Anderson were both hit in the back of the neck, a heavy blow that would have rendered them unconscious. At least four, maybe seven hours. They were then drowned while unconscious which probably brought them back to consciousness which is why their nails were trimmed.”

“Trimmed?” Kinard questions.

“Yeah.” Alec says. “To get rid of any skin under them. I think they fought back, and got a good hit in, but the only evidence of that is the trimmed nails.”

“How do you know it was done purposely? They could have just groomed beforehand.” Kinard comments.

“Because Mellissa Anderson just had a manicure. No woman would trim her nails like that after having that done. Trust me.”

“Okay, what happened after they were drowned? Ken Anderson was stabbed post-mortem, we know that but-”

“Wait.” Alec puts up his hand, stopping Buck. “He was stabbed and she was nicked on her neck after their deaths but before that- well they had broken ribs. Melissa did anyway.”

“Yeah, we know that, but wasn’t it part of the initial struggle?”

“No, it was after she was dead, and I’ve seen those breaks before. They’re from someone performing CPR.”

“Wait, hold on.” Buck says surprised and curious. “You’re telling me that someone drowned her and then tried to bring her back?”

“Pretty much, yeah.”

“Okay, now I’ve seen it all.” Buck says with a shake of his head. “What kind of crazy are we dealing with here?”

Kinard shrugs. “I don’t know, but maybe that professor at the University can help answer some of these questions. Maybe this is some kind of- I don’t know, ritual? That symbol couldn’t have been for nothing.”

“Are you sure this couldn’t have been an accident though?” Buck asks looking to Alec.

“You think someone accidentally drowned them in the sewer? Cut off their nails to hide the evidence, and then stab them and draw symbols in their blood? That’s all accidental. Yeah, that makes sense, detective, solid police work.” Alec says sarcastically, making Buck glare at him.

Buck turns his eyes to Kinard. “We should go. Don’t want to keep the professor waiting.”

-<>-

“I’m sorry, gentlemen, but I’m not sure I can be of much help.” Professor Morrison tells the detectives as he takes a seat behind his desk.

“I know these pictures are tough to look at, but anything you could tell us could help us find a killer.” Kinard tells him, holding out the file.

“It’s not the content, it’s the symbol you talk of. I spend whole sabbaticals on one of these. I’m sorry but I don’t think I can find the information as fast as you would like.”

“Please, just take a look.” Buck tells him with a smile that is losing patience.

“Very well.” The professor agrees, his hand reaching out and picking up the file from Kinard’s.

“Huh.” He says as he opens it. “Judaeo-Christian, that’s for sure.”

“Judaeo-Christian?” Buck questions, hope rising within him.

“Yes, yes I think you boys are in luck. It’s not very old. I don’t know much about it, my area is folklore and mythology but if you’d like I can arrange an appointment with one of our history professors. She can shed more light on this than I.”

“That would be great, professor.” Kinard tells him as he’s handed back the file. “But is there anything that you could tell us now that could help?”

“Well, don’t take my word on it but it looks like a protection symbol.”

“Protection? Against what?” Asks Buck.

The professor looks from him to the file now in Kinard’s hands, then back to Buck. “Witches.”

“Witches? Like on broomsticks?”

“Early witch hunters used a variety of sigils and symbols for protection, which is of course ironic, but I won’t get into that, this might be one of those.”

Buck looks to Kinard who shrugs. He has no idea either, and then taking a shot in the dark, Buck asks the professor, “Is it possible that drowning could have something to do with this?”

The professor raises his eyebrows curiously and in surprise. “Well, yes actually, early witch hunters believed that only way to tell if one was a witch was to drown them. They’d tie them up and throw them in a river, a stream, or a-”

“A sewer?” Buck asks.

“Possibly.” The professor says with a nod. “If the person survived than they were deemed a witch and were burnt at the stake, but if they didn’t then they were human, and there was no need to burn them. Of course, I couldn’t go into detail. While some of my research does crisscross into history, it’s the history professor who could tell you more. Shall I set up that appointment for you?”

“Please.” Kinard agrees.

Buck then adds, half lost in thought at this new information, “Yeah, and uh- thank you.”

-<>-

“Are you sure about this, Shannon?” Buck asks. “You know that you and Christopher are always welcome here.”

“I know.” Shannon says with a smile and a nod as she continues to pack her bag. “But this is a one bedroom apartment, and Maddie has two. It will be better for Christopher and me to be there.”

Buck nods, understandingly. “If you need anything…”

“I know, thank you.” Shannon smiles at him and then frowns. “Can I ask you something?”

“What?”

Shannon hesitates, then leans over and pulls out a sweater that Buck knows all too well from underneath a blanket on the couch. She holds it up and there’s no judgment in her eyes, only simple curiosity. “This is Eddie’s. Can I ask why it’s here?”

For some reason Buck suddenly feel awkward, but is quick to answer regardless, “He stayed the night here once. He was helping me out on a case. He slept on the couch.”

It was all true, and yet Buck feels shame and anxiety wash over him at Shannon’s raised eyebrows, like he’s done something wrong. Thankfully she doesn’t question it, only nods her head and continues packing. It’s then that Buck’s phone decides to ring.

“Hello?” Buck asks into the receiver.

_“Buckley? It’s Kinard. The professor wants to see us in fifteen_.” Explains Kinard over the line.

“Today?” Buck asks surprised. “We just talked to the other one.”

_“I know, but she says it’s urgent. Can you meet me there?”_

“Um…” Buck says looking to Shannon who nods her okay, letting him know that she’ll fine, and she should be. Maddie and Chimney are coming to get her and Christopher, they should be here any minute. And with that confirmation Buck says into the phone, “I’ll be right there.”

-<>-

“What was so urgent professor?” Buck can’t help but ask first, avoiding all niceties. It is almost nine at night, way past office hours for them all.

Professor Chalin looks from Buck to Kinard nervously. “When Professor Morrison wanted to make an appointment for you both with me, my only next available appointment was next week which he knew about. Everything goes past my TA but since- since I was passing by luck would have it that I overheard what was going on. I had to see you right away.”

“Why is that professor?” Buck asks.

At the same time Kinard says, “Do you know something?”

“Aye, I do.” She says, her Irish accent coming to light. “Professor Morrison went on a research study with this group. A group that abides by mythological routes and the modern twist. I don’t remember all of the details, I mean I do but it was a while ago and there’s so many other projects I lend my expertise in- well, here, this is the file.”

She hands the file over to them and Kinard quickly snatches it up. He starts skimming through it as Buck rolls his eyes slightly annoyed, but they have a job to do so he focuses his attention back onto the professor. “What has made you so anxious Professor Chalin?”

“Well, the thing is I- ever since he did this immersive study, he’s been different. I don’t I- we heard about the murders and when I brought it up he was really strange. Once I heard my TA talking about making an appointment with me from him, I went through and checked the file I had and-”

“Alexa Ridden.” Kinard reads out. “One of the subjects? Apart of the group? ‘Relationships are Melissa Anderson. Potential targets include Melissa Anderson as well as other members of the other’s subject’s families.’”

They both look up to the professor who bites at her fingernails nervously. Buck is the first one to speak. “If you knew that these people were in danger, why didn’t you say anything?”

“Professor Morrison assured me that they weren’t, that they were harmless. He has degrees in psychology, I- I believed him. I trusted him. I’m sorry.”

Buck looks to Kinard. “So what is this? Some kind of witch killing cult?”

“Pretty much.” Kinard agrees.

“Well- It’s a little more complicated than that.” Professor Chalin chimes in, but a glare from both Buck and Kinard shut her up.

“Okay. Okay.” Buck says as he all the information filters through his head. “If Professor Morrison is a part of this thing, what would they do? Run? Hide? They probably think they have a week, but he’s smart so maybe less than that…”

“Wait, here.” Kinard says, showing the file to Buck and then reciting, “’…Considers themselves nomads. Like previous witch hunters, they travel from place to place. No larger are the groups than two or thrice.’”

“Thrice? Who says thrice anymore?” Buck says, making Kinard glare at him now. “Right not the point.”

“We have to get to Alexa Ridden’s house before they disappear for good.”

“Yeah, good call. Come on, I’ll drive. You call the Captain.”

-<>-

“We should wait for backup.” Kinard says as they park in front of the lighted house.

“Yeah, probably.” Buck says as he’s already reaching for his gun. Kinard stares at him but shrugs and does the same. What does he have to lose anyway? Besides, Buck can go first.

They get out of the car and with all of their training are quiet as mouse as they get to the door. Buck is the one who knocks, but there’s no answer. He then tries the knob, probable cause and all that, and finds that it’s not locked. Another bad sign. Despite this Buck goes ahead and opens the door, Kinard right behind him. As soon as the door’s open, their weapons go up, searching from side to side, but there’s no one there.

Kinard looks to Buck and nods toward the kitchen. Buck nods in understanding, making his way to the other entrance on the other side. Very carefully and very slowly they walk in, guns sweeping the room. Empty. They turn, now together side by side and go back to the living room. They walk toward the hallway, Buck ahead and Kinard behind. There’s only two rooms now, a bedroom and a bathroom. Only two hiding spots. Buck nods to the bedroom as Kinard nods to the bathroom. In one swift moment they both enter.

“Fuck. We must have missed them.” Buck says, walking out of the bedroom as Kinard lowers his weapon. He begins to nod in agreement when _bam_ a loud thud is sounded. Buck’s eyes roll into the back of his head and he falls to the ground like a rag doll. In his spot is a man, dark skin and mean eyes. He looks to Kinard with the eyes of a wild animal.

“Just let me go.” He says in a deep voice.

Kinard knows he can’t do that, but then he looks to Buck’s unconscious form, his reluctant partner. The copper who killed Deluca, a man who did no harm. A man who Kinard knows was good. Buck could have been the leak. It must have been him. He killed Sal to cover his own ass, because Sal Deluca would never have done what he’s accused. It’s the only thing that makes sense, isn’t it?

His gun lowers, not in surrender, but onto a different target. It would be so easy. This man, Alexa’s boyfriend if the pictures in her living room were anything to go by could be blamed for this. He’s a cop, they’d believe him. Two shots and it’s done. His finger hovers on the trigger in contemplation. It stays like that for a few long moments, before pressing down, deciding.

** _Bang._ **

** _Bang._ **


	5. Five.

“So what we have here is a witch killing cult?” Bobby asks the both of them, his eyes growing worried as Buck grimaces in pain. He sits on the edge of an ambulance, thankfully now conscious with an ice pack on the back of his neck where a nasty bruise is forming.

“Pretty much.” Buck manages to say before groaning slightly, his vision blurring a little, not that he’d tell anyone that. He’s hoping to get out of going to the hospital. It’s been a long day. Especially when he checked his phone and saw an incoming message from Shannon about Eddie. That was the icing on the shit cake for him.

“Well, the feds are here.”

Kinard and Buck look up sharply at an apologetic Bobby.

“I know.” Bobby says. “But I didn’t call them. They’ve been tracking this group for the past five years.”

“Tell them thanks for the heads up.” Buck says sarcastically.

“They only found out about the connection when you did.”

“Whatever. Are we done? I need to sleep for a week.” Buck says as he tries to stand, but Bobby’s hand on his shoulder stops him.

“Buck, you know the protocol. You have to go to the hospital.”

“With all due respect, Captain, it’s been a hell of a day. I just want to go home. Please. I’ll go to the hospital tomorrow and get checked out. Really, I’m fine.” Buck pleads. “Kinard can even drive me home if it makes you feel better.”

Bobby looks to Kinard and considers him. “Fine. But Kinard, I’m going to need your weapon.”

“I already gave it to one of the uniforms.” Kinard explains. “I know the protocol.”

Not too far away the ME rolls out the body of the boyfriend, one Mackenzie Andrews they found out later. He was shot twice, once in the arm, and then once in the torso when he refused to go down. Kinard had no choice, or at least that’s what he tells himself and everyone else.

“Come on, Buckley.” Kinard says, his hands out to help him stand.

“I’m fine.” Buck spits out, shaking his help off and walking unsteadily to Kinard’s car.

-<>-

“You didn’t have to walk me up.” Buck says in annoyance as he searches for his key in his pocket. They’re outside his apartment, both him, and Kinard who insisted on seeing him safely up here, but in all honestly he has ulterior motives.

“Yeah, I did, and I need to talk to you.” Kinard explains. His eyes turn serious as Buck’s tired ones meet his. He has every intention of telling him to leave and that he’ll see him tomorrow but something in his eyes changes something within him. Besides he did save his life after all.

Buck opens the door, and nods his head for Kinard to go in first.

“So what do you want to talk about?” Buck asks as he turns the lights on, shutting and locking the door behind him. He throws his keys on the counter and walks a little unsteadily to the living room. He’d sit in the kitchen but those chairs of his are uncomfortable, especially when he’s in so much pain he can’t even think straight. “If you’re looking for a ‘thank you’ well, thanks, okay? I know you saved my ass back there but in all honesty I could have handled it.”

Kinard laughs as Buck sits down on the couch, his eyes scrunched up in pain at the movement. “You sound just like him sometimes.”

“Who?” Buck asks curiously, making Kinard look up quickly, a little panicked. Did he say that out loud? “Never mind, can you go to the bathroom and get me some aspirin. Three should do it.”

Kinard nods and does just that. He grabs a glass nearby the bathroom sink and fills it with water. Once it’s in Buck’s hands he swallows them back in record speed.

“So what do you want to talk about?” Buck asks. “And please make it quick, I could sleep for a month after this one.”

“It’s about Deluca.”

Buck’s eyes close, his hand rubbing across his face in discontent. “What about him?”

“Why’d you kill him?” Kinard asks, his eyes narrowing and his heart beating so fast he feels like it could break out of his chest. He may not be armed but he sure as hell can have a second chance to kill Buck in the future if need be.

“He had a gun on u-”

“No. I want the truth.”

Buck’s eyes meet Kinard’s, warry and uncertain.

“Please, Buck, I need this.” Kinard pleads.

“He killed Abby. He killed…” Buck pauses, the tears coming suddenly as his heart squeezes like its being strangled. “He killed my son.”

The tense silence that follows is almost unbearable for them both. Buck wants to punch something, to hurt and kill. Kinard just wants to fall through the floor and never get out.

“He wouldn’t kill a kid.” Kinard says, trying to convince himself more than anyone else.

“No one knew except her. I didn’t- She didn’t even…” Buck’s words get choked off as the lump in his throat rises.

“I loved him.” Kinard says suddenly into the now quiet room. Buck looks at him surprised but not disgusted or disappointed, just surprised and a little curious. “But I didn’t know. I couldn’t- I didn’t want to believe it, but I don’t think you’re lying anymore.”

“Anymore?”

Kinard’s hand rests solidly onto Buck’s shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

Buck’s eyes widen. He looks to Kinard’s hand and then back into his own tired eyes. “You didn’t know.”

Kinard shakes his head, agreeing with his words. “I didn’t, but I wish I did, maybe I could have stopped him.”

“Maybe I could have stopped Abby. Her mom just died and she- she wasn’t ready.”

Kinard laughs a bitter laugh. “Look at us both.”

“Yeah. Look at us.”

“Got any scotch in this place?”

-<>-

“Are you sure?” Buck asks a few hours later, after more alcohol than either one of them should be drinking.

Tommy’s lips are inches from Buck’s. He looks down at the other man’s and then into his eyes, nodding. “I want this. I want you.”

There’s nothing loving or even close to affection in the kiss, in the heated touches, there’s only need and an empty place they both have inside that needs to be filled. That calls to be whole again. There’s attraction and anger in the way Buck’s fingers loop in Tommy’s hair and in the way that Tommy nips at his lips, down his neck, and onto naked flesh below.

“I’m topping.” Tommy says with more confidence than he’s ever had.

Buck agrees, eagerly as fingers dance across his skin. They’re warm and real, and maybe when he opens his eyes again he sees a face unlike the one that’s really here. Maybe Tommy is the same. Maybe he sees someone else too. But it doesn’t matter. For right now there is only primal need and pleasure.

“Fuck.”

-<>-

“I should go.” Tommy says when they’re laying naked in Buck’s bed an hour later. They’ve managed to catch their breath and both are beyond satisfied, but not where it counts.

“Yeah, sure.” Buck agrees.

“I’m transferring. VICE. It’s easy. Simple.”

“Yeah?”

“You probably won’t see me again.” Tommy says as he looks for his shirt, pants already on. Buck watches him from his spot on the bed where he hasn’t moved since they finished.

“Good luck.” Buck tells him, kind of sort of thinking that maybe he’ll miss him. “I guess we weren’t awful partners.”

Tommy raises his brow.

“Okay maybe we were sort of awful together.”

They both smile and laugh a little at that.

_Ring. Ring. Ring._

Kinard shrugs at the noise, as if saying, ‘it’s not my phone.’

Buck rolls over a little reluctantly and picks up his phone as Tommy slips out of his bedroom, out of his apartment, and out of his life.

“Hello?”

_“Buck?” _It’s Shannon, and she sounds like she’s been crying.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay? Is Christopher okay?” Buck asks concerned and more alert than ever.

_“We’re fine it’s- it’s Eddie. Buck, he’s awake.”_

“What?”

-<>-

“Eddie?” Buck whispers, shocked as Eddie’s eyes, awake and open blink up at him. He smiles and Buck’s heart feels like it’s falling.

“Buck.” Eddie says with a smile that grows wider.

“Eddie.” Buck says again, almost not believing what he’s seeing, and even though Christopher is right here and Shannon too, he doesn’t hesitate to lean in and bring Eddie into his arms. He holds him close as he starts to cry in relief and something else, something more.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay.” Eddie tells him, his hand rubbing soothing circles on Buck’s back. “It’s okay… I take it that you missed me?”

“You have no idea.” Buck says fiercely, his arms still wrapped around Eddie tightly, refusing to let him go. “No idea.”

-<>-

_“Anna.” Markus says in a low and dangerous voice. He walks into the brightly lit room and looks to her as she is turned from him, only her back shown to him. “What have you done?”_

_“I did what I had to.” Is her response._

_“Anna, look at me.”_

_ She does. Piercing golden eyes meet dark ones in a dangerous battle of wits and strength._

_“What kind of deal did you strike?”_

_“How are you here?” She counters. “This room is only for my kind.”_

_“You forget Anna that a part of me is you and a part of you is me. Besides the others have taken notice of the ungodliness going on here.”_

_ Anna scoffs. “I’m doing my job.”_

_ Markus nods, then looks down at a floating scrap of paper. Anna’s eyes turn nervous but she holds up her posture, defensively and defiantly. Markus opens the folded paper and reads the words written in red, in blood. A blood oath of cosmic proportions._

_“Anna.” His words are angry now and a little scared, but not for himself, for it._

_“I made a deal, it’s what we do.”_

_“THIS IS NOT WHAT WE DO. We do not sacrifice one life for another, we offer chances to grow and becoming one with us. This right here is blood and death. This isn’t even your purview.”_

_ She doesn’t even flinch. “He killed my family. He killed me.”_

_“Anna, this is a human weakness.” Markus says more calmly and explanatory, like he’s teaching some vital rule to a child._

_“Why should Eddie Diaz die when this man has killed innocents? If this Eddie Diaz does what he’s told he lives. That’s how this works.” She tells him, her arms crossing over herself._

_ Markus shakes his head, defeated and disappointed, as well as disagreeing._

_“How could you?”_

_ He drops the paper and it lands opening to the words;_

**The Death of Captain Robert Nash**


End file.
